The present invention relates generally to compositions for mole control that act to repel moles from treated areas. More particularly, it relates to compositions having an active ingredient that can be dispersed in a solid form onto the treated area. Preferably, the active ingredient is castor oil or any suitable castor oil derivatives.
Moles are both a nuisance and an economic pest. They dig blindly through soil creating tunnels to find food. They have a very high metabolism and must eat a lot. Therefore, they have to find a lot of food and that means a lot of digging. A mole can dig at the rate of 12–15 ft. per hour in an average garden or lawn soil.
The tunnels that moles dig in search of food are just below the surface and the digging of these tunnels severs roots and causes shrubs and other plants to decline. In addition to their surface feeding tunnels, moles also dig deeper tunnels, called runways, in which they make their nests and travel through their territory. The soil excavated from these runways is deposited on the surface in the form of mounds of loose soil called molehills. A mole or two can cause significant damage to a lawn or a garden in short order. They create ground that sinks, and cause the loss of prized perennials and bulbs. In addition, tunnels created by moles may provide travel lanes for many species of small mammals such as voles, field mice and house mice. By enhancing the habitat of other pests, moles often are indirectly responsible for damages that these rodents cause to bulbs, seeds and garden plants.
A life underground may have its reward in that moles have few natural enemies. The gardener and the landscaper have tried desperately to be a potent mole enemy, but have seemingly failed. Over the years, several methods for mole control have been attempted. For example, trapping has been one of the most effective and practical means for controlling problem moles. However, trapping takes time and practice. In addition, rather than in runways, more traps are placed in feeding tunnels where they will not catch anything.
Killing soil insects is another method that has been suggested. Controlling beetle grubs has been a standard mole control recommendation for years, but in most yards there is usually enough non-grub food remaining to keep moles thriving. Thus, moles are often present even in grub-free yards. If all the earthworms, grubs and other soil animals in a lawn are eliminated, by repeated insecticide applications, moles may be forced to seek other areas. Before moving on, however, moles may increase foraging and tunneling activity for several weeks. Moreover, the use of soil insecticides is an expensive approach, but with no immediate reduction of damage and little likelihood of long term control. In the process, soil insecticides may cause the loss of beneficial soil invertebrates and may be a hazard to desirable wildlife.
Fumigation can be used to control moles in some situations. Gas cartridges, which produce carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide when ignited, are occasionally effective. Another known fumigant is aluminum phosphide, which is a restricted use pesticide that is federally registered as a mole control. One of the drawbacks is that fumigants will generally be ineffective where soils are porous and dry, or where extensive feed tunnels are near the ground surface.
People who have been frustrated with mole damage have tried a variety of home remedies. Some of these include the use of pinwheels, windmills, rose thorns, broken glass, used cat litter, kerosene, flooding, cement or even chewing gum. Unfortunately, most home remedies fail. Several electronic devices have also been marketed, but none have proven sufficiently effective.
One method that has been proven to be effective in repelling moles is the use of a castor oil solution. A homemade concentrate can be prepared by mixing six ounces of castor oil with two tablespoons of liquid detergent in one gallon of water. This mixture is diluted at a rate of one ounce per gallon of water and applied liberally with a sprayer. In addition to the homemade formula, there are a few commercial castor oil based products that have been formulated as a mole repellant. These products are usually available in the form of liquid concentrates. The concentrates are diluted and sprayed according to the manufacturer's direction. Some of these products may successfully reduce mole activity in an area for about two months.
Nevertheless, there are some drawbacks in the application of the castor oil liquid spray. First, to be effective, castor oil solution must be thoroughly watered into the lawn. Over-watering may result in a “run off” of the solution, instead of the solution getting down into the soil where it needs to be. Second, the areas that receive extensive irrigation will quickly loose the repellant to leaching. Third, the preparation and application of the liquid castor oil may be messy. And finally, spraying of castor oil solution may wind up damaging turf plants and shrubbery or causing unsightly and smelly foliage.
A need remains for an effective mole repellant that is easy to apply and incorporated into the soil in the mole infested area Another need remains for mole repellant that stays effective for a long period of time.